Work underway to showcase Waipā's heritage
27 November 2018
Filming is now underway to capture local stories that celebrate Waipā's heritage.
A new website will host the videos plus other digital content to take users on an interactive journey through Waipā's heritage sites. Phase one will showcase Karāpiro, Lake Ngāroto and Pirongia township with the site to launch in August next year.
Creating the website is part of an increased investment in Waipā's nationally-significant heritage. In July this year, Council confirmed it would spend $3.6 million over the next 10 years on new heritage activities, many based around the period leading up to, including and post New Zealand Land Wars.
The Council will also invest $7.2 million towards Te Ara Wai - a brand new discovery centre to be based in Te Awamutu and will be seeking external funding to support this development.
Council's heritage and museum manager Tony Roxburgh said the website will be created in both English and Te Reo and will help locals and visitors explore some of Waipā's significant sites.
Council and local iwi are working together to tell the stories of our district. Local people are contributing to the videos and through the filming we're already learning things about Waipā we didn't know before.
Local story tellers contributing so far, include historian Alan Hall, archaeologist Alexy Simmons, Rāhui Papa of Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Haupai Puke of Pūrekireki Marae, Rovina Maniapoto of Ngāti Paretekawa and Council's iwi relations advisors Shane Te Ruki and Chuck Davis.
The website will guide visitors to each historical site from the nearest town. Once at the site, interpretive signage will allow visitors to follow the stories via their mobile device. As well as the videos the website will contain graphic novels, audio clips, infographics and maps.
Eventually Te Ara Wai will be the central hub for these sites where visitors can come and view artefacts in the Museum collection that relate to the stories they've learnt about, Roxburgh said. But there is plenty of work to do before then to ensure the many Waipā stories are better told to a national and international audience.
Phase one of the work is being completed by consultancy firm Locales which has worked on similar projects including the Rangihoua Heritage Park in Northland and The Waikato War Experience locally.
Caption: Filming underway with Rāhui Papa at Karāpiro.